With women making up nearly half of Gombe State’s population, stakeholders have described the protection of their health as both a developmental and moral responsibility.
They are calling for urgent implementation of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (STOP) guidelines to curb preventable maternal deaths caused by unsafe termination of pregnancy .
The call was made at a high-level roundtable meeting organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), with support from Global Affairs Canada and the Centre for Reproductive Rights.
The forum brought together policymakers, healthcare professionals, and civil society organisations to push for stronger government action on women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
According to the World Health Organization, unsafe termination of pregnancy accounts for up to 13 percent of maternal deaths globally.
A study by the Guttmacher Institute and UNFPA indicates that in Nigeria, unsafe termination is responsible for a similar proportion of maternal deaths.
Experts at the meeting stressed that this highlights the urgent need for stronger legal frameworks and public awareness to protect women’s reproductive health.
Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Abubakar Mohammed Luggerewo, assured participants that the legislature is committed to advancing laws and policies that safeguard women’s health.
Commissioner of Women Affairs, Asamau Iganus, represented by Hajiya Fatima Umar, urged collaboration to curb unsafe a termination of pregnancy related deaths and strengthen access to quality healthcare.
WARDC’s Senior Programme Officer, Sheila Ibrahim Ausu, explained that the project is aimed at improving accountability in SRHR service delivery, raising awareness among adolescent girls through media and community campaigns, and building advocacy for effective implementation of the STOP guidelines across six states, including Gombe.
Highlighting government efforts, the Director of Community and Family Health, Dr Maryam Abubakar, revealed that 114 primary healthcare centres in Gombe have been revitalised, with plans for additional facilities, though human resource shortages remain a challenge.
The Gombe branch of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON), represented by Dr Muhammad Sagir, emphasised the benefits of the STOP guidelines, noting that they are designed to:reduce maternal deaths caused by unsafe abortions,protect women’s reproductive rights, strengthen access to safe and quality healthcare, and serve as a model for reducing preventable deaths across Nigeria
The STOP guidelines also spell out the categories of women legally eligible for safe termination of pregnancy, including:
Women whose lives are at risk due to pregnancy complications, Survivors of rape or incest, Women facing severe physical or mental health risks, and
Cases where foetal abnormalities are incompatible with life
Civil society organisations also raised concerns about the increasing toll of unsafe abortions on women and girls. Representative of SAIF Advocacy, Mrs. Farida Dunaman, said women and girls are dying due to unsafe termination of hence CSOs are deeply concerned.
She explained that following the awareness created at the roundtable, CSOs will intensify enlightenment campaigns to reduce maternal deaths caused by unsafe termination of pregnancy.
The meeting ended with a unified call for government to strengthen laws, expand access to healthcare, and prioritise the health rights of women and girls.
Stakeholders believe that full implementation of the STOP guidelines could significantly reduce maternal deaths in Gombe State and set an example for other states.